3rd Gen FLIR

advanced targeting: sees through smoke, rain, snow and fog

The impact that FLIR, short for Forward Looking Infrared, has made on modern warfare is the difference between night and day … literally.

FLIR gives warfighters the ability to perform targeting, reconnaissance and fire support under the cloak of darkness, giving them the power to “own the night.” They can peer through dust storms, see enemies in hiding and get high-resolution pictures without giving away their positions.

FLIR is a technology that detects heat and creates images from it, allowing warfighters to “see” through darkness, smoke, rain, snow and fog. Electronic sensors made with FLIR technology can be found on warfighters’ weapons or attached to armored vehicles and F-18 fighter jets. Infrared sensors are also used on satellites for creating images of the earth.

The 3rd Gen FLIR form factor enables upgrade of existing thermal sights that is cost effective and delivers twice the performance.

Raytheon is the industry leader in FLIR technology, with decades of innovation in the field. FLIR was invented in 1963 by a Texas Instruments engineer, Kirby Taylor. Texas Instruments was later acquired by Raytheon.

The first two generations of FLIR technology have served forces for more than 50 years and now Raytheon is introducing third-generation FLIR technology to the battlefield.

Key Benefits of 3rd Gen FLIR

Determining intent – 3rd Gen FLIR promises to bring a new kind of situational awareness to users. Warfighters will be able to tell if the person lurking behind the truck down the road is holding a deadly rocket-propelled grenade or just a shovel.

Raytheon’s 3rd Gen FLIR products include:

eLRAS3 - The eLRAS3 is the next generation Long Range Scout Surveillance System. It meets or exceeds all LRAS3 requirements with a 55 percent reduction in sensor weight and volume. The system is fully compatible with all existing LRAS3 platforms.